Agronomic performances of self-reseeding legumes on alkaline soil under Mediterranean climate

Summary

Self-reseeding legumes are an essential component of the Mediterranean natural resources. Germplasms collected from the Mediterranean region were introduced in Australia and subjected to an extensive breeding. Species were then re-introduced in their original habitat where they were object of different important researches. Despite all the efforts made to select appropriate species and varieties, well-adapted cultivars have not been yet identified for all situations. At the experimental farm of the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari, Italy, agronomic performances of 15 cultivars of self reseeding legumes were compared on an alkaline soil to evaluate their possible use in organic agriculture systems. 10-m2 plots were used in a complete randomised block design with three replicates.The growing cycle extended over six months with high rainfall. Cultivars WCT36, Hykon, Caprera, Casbah and York showed high production potential concerning biomass, ground covering, weed control, plant nitrogen content, seed production and soil fertility. Medicago sphaerocarpa cv. Orion was more precocious in flowering, in pods production and maturation. Cultivars Cefalu, Prima, Mauro, despite having medium production potential, appear especially promising in the study area while all tested cultivars of the genus Ornithopus exhibited very low performances for all tested parameters. Cultivars Paradana and Bolta of Trifolium michelianum were very sensitive to Orobanche attack. Thus, the first group is apparently better adapted to the pedo-climatic conditions existing in the Apulia region.